The game-deciding hoop finished off a tense end-to-end sequence. With less than 15 seconds remaining in the extra period and the score tied at 120, Monta Ellis drove down the right wing, lofting up a floating runner. Jermaine O'Neal came across the paint to deflect the shot, and replays seemed to indicate that the ball was on its way down, necessitating a goaltending call.

No call was made, though, and Curry proceeded up the court, keen to run off as much time as possible before putting up a shot. Jose Calderon pressured him on the left wing, but Curry remained calm as he set up Calderon by coming back outside the three-point arc. Using a quick right-to-left dribble, Curry burst past Calderon to turn the corner before slamming on the brakes to set up a step back jumper from the left angle. The shot swished in just before the buzzer sounded.

Dallas was unable to score on the other end and Golden State hung on for the two-point victory.

"I just wanted to take my time, survey the floor, see what the opening was," Curry told the Bay Area News Group. "I had the whole side to work with. Kind of my go-to move, the little step back, thankfully I knocked it down. ... It felt good the whole way."

This was the second time in less than four months that Curry has hit a game-winner against the Mavericks. His first effort came back in December at Oracle Arena.

Curry finished with 23 points (on 10-for-17 shooting), 10 assists, three rebounds and two steals. Klay Thompson scored a team-high 27 points (on 11-for-24 shooting) and added five rebounds and five assists in the win.

Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavericks with a game-high 33 points (on 13-for-21 shooting), 11 rebounds, three assists and two steals. Ellis added 27 points (on 11-for-23 shooting) and six assists in a losing effort.

Golden State improved to 46-28 with the victory. Dallas dropped to 44-31 with the loss, which dropped them to the West's No. 9 spot.

"It was a mature win for us," Curry told CSN Bay Area during a televised post-game interview. "Mentally for us to withstand all their runs, the way they finished the first half with a barrage of threes, we didn't get rattled. We relied on our defense down the stretch to get the win."